Welcome to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Top 10 Strategies for Ensuring a Successful Start November 3, 2008

Webinar Presenters Virginia Sprang, Child and Adolescent Trauma Treatment Institute, University of Kentucky Kimberly Shipman, Denver-Kempe Trauma Collaboration Nancy Widdoes, Delaware Child Traumatic Stress Center Judy Holland, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress

Top 10 Strategies for Getting Started in the NCTSN 1. Orient—Participate in Network Orientation Activities 2. Jump Start—Hire Project Staff Early 3. Connect and Collaborate 4. Establish Key Partnerships Early 5. Become Data Ready 6. Involve Families 7. Get to Know Your NCTSN Liaison 8. Get to Know Your SAMHSA Project Officer 9. Communicate Your Plans 10. Start Sustainability Planning Now

1. Orient Take advantage of all opportunities to learn about the Network Participate in Webinars Watch mediasite presentations Attend the New Grantee Orientation Check out the NCTSN public Web site Explore the NCTSN Intranet (membership side of the Web site) Become familiar with what other Network members are doing—you may find some good partners

2. Jump Start Hire a well-qualified Project Director as soon as possible, at least 50 percent time on the grant Hire administrative support staff Plan your recruitment strategy and prepare job advertisements Feel free to consult with your Network Liaison and other Network centers on appropriate qualities and skill sets to seek

3. Connect and Collaborate At the New Grantee Orientation, establish an informal collaborative relationship with at least one other grantee as a learning partner Consider a more formal mentoring relationship with a current grantee (talk with your Network Liaison) Ask questions. The Network is complex Consider joining a Learning Collaborative if one is a good fit for your grant project Talk with your Liaison about Network centers and activities that would complement your assets or address the needs of your project

4. Establish Key Partnerships Early Identify key stakeholder organizations and government and community leaders in your State/region Inform stakeholders of your grant and invite them to a grant celebration or kickoff event Include your stakeholders in the public events, orient them to your project and the NCTSN, and share NCTSN materials and products Look for other related projects in your community and State to build your constituency and your visibility

5. Become Data Ready If you have never collected clinical data before, consider consulting with the Data and Evaluation Program to help identify staffing needs and design your work flow for data collection and submission Get the training you will need to submit required data. Participate in the training opportunities offered by each of the data collection initiatives Identify and learn about the process for data collection per your Institutional Review Board. Line this up as soon as possible! Delay here will result in project implementation and client service delays Compile a master list of all required reports and data collection activities. It is helpful to organize this information on a calendar Make a data collection timeline and post it where all project personnel can see it including clinicians and project assistants

6. Involve Families Families (parents and caregivers) and youth will be your biggest advocates in your community and State Involve caregivers and youth in your project from the beginning Families can help engage other families and help with treatment development and implementation Examples of strategies for involving families include inviting their participation on a community advisory board and focus groups The Partnering with Youth and Families Collaborative Group has excellent resources for engaging families

7. Get To Know Your NCTSN Liaison Your Network Liaison’s job is to help you get your project up and running Your Liaison and all the staff at the National Center are resources for you. The National Center is a fellow grantee (Category I) Your Liaison will answer questions, make a site visit, suggest collaborative groups, and help you make connections in the Network Ask any and all questions

8. Get To Know Your SAMHSA Project Officer Take time to inform yourself about the grant management process, including timelines for reports Schedule a call with your SAMHSA Government Project Officer so that you can begin a strong, positive working relationship

9. Communicate Your Plans Keep your key constituencies and stakeholders informed of your progress, project activities, new staff, and successes Consider a newsletter or other regular form of communication An internal workgroup or your project advisory board can help you frame your messages, audience, and timing Work with families, youth, and consumers to make sure that relevant information is shared with them in the most accessible manner

10. Start Sustainability Planning Now Think about sustainability from the very beginning of your grant Develop a plan for carrying on the critical elements of your work after SAMHSA funding ends Be strategic as you select community partners and advisory board members and plan the involvement of leaders in your own organization Involving key community leaders like State legislators, county officials, and philanthropists from the beginning will help you as your project develops

Next Steps Participate in the Webinar on Data and Evaluation November 10, 2008, 2–3:30 p.m. ET Plan to attend the New Grantee Orientation November 19–20, 2008 Plan to attend the All-Network Conference March 16–19, 2009 Ask your Liaison about Network Collaborative Groups Visit to stay up to date Visit the Network Intranet at

Welcome to the NCTSN!